King's worm lizard (Amphisbaena kingii) is a species of amphisbaenian in the family Amphisbaenidae. The species is endemic to South America.

King's worm lizard
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Reptilia
Order: Squamata
Family: Amphisbaenidae
Genus: Amphisbaena
Species:
A. kingii
Binomial name
Amphisbaena kingii
(Bell, 1833)
Synonyms[2]
In Argentina

Etymology

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The specific name, kingii, is in honor of Australian marine surveyor Philip Parker King.[3]

Geographic range

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A. kingii is found in Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, and Uruguay.[2]

Habitat

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The preferred natural habitats of A. kingii are savanna and grassland.[1]

Description

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A. kingii may attain a snout-to-vent length (SVL) of 21 cm (8.3 in), plus a tail about 2 cm (0.79 in) long. Dorsally, it is purplish brown. Ventrally, it is whitish.[4]

Reproduction

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A. kingii is oviparous.[2]

References

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  1. ^ a b Montero R (2019). "Amphisbaena kingii ". The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2019: https://dx.doi.org/10.2305/IUCN.UK.2019-3RLTS.T56039179A56039188.en. Accessed on 27 August 2024.
  2. ^ a b c Amphisbaena kingii at the Reptarium.cz Reptile Database. Accessed 24 February 2019.
  3. ^ Beolens, Bo; Watkins, Michael; Grayson, Michael (2011). The Eponym Dictionary of Reptiles. Baltimore: Johns Hopkins University Press. xiii + 296 pp. ISBN 978-1-4214-0135-5. (Anops kingii, p. 141).
  4. ^ Boulenger GA (1885). Catalogue of the Lizards in the British Museum (Natural History). Second Edition. Volume II. ... Amphisbænidæ. London: Trustees of the British Museum (Natural History). (Taylor and Francis, printers). xiii + 497 pp. + Plates I-XXIV. (Anops kingii, pp. 451-452).

Further reading

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  • Bell T (1833). "[Characters of two New Genera of Reptiles]". Proceedings of the Zoological Society of London 1833: 98–99. (Anops kingii, new species, p. 99). (in English and Latin).
  • Duméril AMC, Bibron G (1839). Erpétologie générale ou Histoire naturelle complète des Reptiles. Tome cinquième [Volume 5]. Paris: Roret. viii + 854 pp. (Amphisbæna kingii, new combination, pp. 496–498). (in French).
  • Gans C (2005). "Checklist and Bibliography of the Amphisbaenia of the World". Bulletin of the American Museum of Natural History (289): 1–130. (Anops kingii, p. 22).
  • Stejneger L (1916). "Notes on Amphisbænian Nomenclature". Proceedings of the Biological Society of Washington 29: 85. (Anopsibæna kingii, new combination).